Reverberatory furnace.



I. A. BURNS.

REVERBERATORY' FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10. 1910.

Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET fu/ma/ I F. A. BURNS.

REVERBERATORY FURNACE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 10, 1910.

Patented June '7, 19104 SSHEBTS-SHEET 2.

Wm comm F. A. BURNS. REVERBERATORY FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1910. Patented June 7,

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Mum cooco PATENT. OFFICE.

FRANK A. BURNS, OF ANAGONDA, -MONTANA.

REVERBEBATQBY FURNACE.

Specification of" Letters Patent.

Patented June '7, 1910.

Application filed March 10, 191,0. Serial No. 543,383.

lowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in smelting furnaces, and has particular reference to reverberatory furnaces used in matte smelting; and the object of the invention is to so arrange a number of matte smelting furnaces in abattery, or series, and so connect them that the, at present, waste hot gases derived from the smelting operation In one furnace is utilized for heating another furnace or furnaces, and the ore there.- in, in the series, so that by the consumption of a small amount of fuel in such latter furnace or furnaces, I can complete the smeltmg of the matte therein; thereby greatly economizing fuel, and saving much time, in reducing the ores, and increasing the output of the furnaces in a given time.

In the smelting of copper sulfid and like ores in a reverberatory furnace a temperatu re of about 2800 degrees Fahrenheit is required, and the tem erature of the waste gases leaving such urnaceis about 2200 Fahrenheit. An ordinary reverberatory smelting furnace having a' capacity of say 300 tons burns approximately (30 tons of coal in every 24; hours while in operation. By my invention when two or more furnaces are used a proximately one-half of this amount of 0021 or other fuel will be saved; and in a battery of three furnaces such saving would alnountlto about 90 tons of coal per day;'

while withlarger batteries of furnaces the saving in fuel would he proportionately increased.

My invention inbrief consists in arranging a plurality of ordinary smelting furnaces in a battery or series and connecting them in such manner that the hot heretofore waste gases issuing from one furnace may be passed through any one, or more, of the other furnaces in the battery, so as to heat the same and its contents andat the same time any one or more of such furnaces in which ore is to be smelted ma be additionally and independently heate b using acomparatively small amount of fue therein, to the temperature requisite to smelt the ore, and the waste gases from such furnace can be in turn utilized in other furnaces in the battery to preliminarily heat the same.

Means are provided for passing the gases from one furnace to another, and for introducing additional hot gases from the firebox or burner in the latter furnace, or furnaces; and for introducing additional air thereto to maintain combustion therein and raise the temperature thereof to that requisite .fOl' smelting ore in such furnace.

The furnaces may be heated by any suitable fuel such as coal, oil, gas or wood. Preferably I locate four or more reverberatory furnaces in a direct line and so connect them that the waste heat and gases from one furnace can be passed directly 'to and throu h the next without checking the draft; and oi this purpose the flue passages connecting the successive furnaces are gradually increased in cross sectional area so that the draft through the fines and furnaces shall not be checked by reason of the increase in the volume of gases therein.

I will now describe the invention with reference .to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents in side elevation a battery of four smelting furnaces arranged and connected so as to embody the invention. Fig. 2 is a 'plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the construction of the draft fines and connections between the furnaces; intermediate parts of the furnaces being broken away so as to enable the connections to be more clearly shown. Fig, 4: is a horizontal section on line 4:4, F1g. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5.5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section on line 6- -6, Fig. 3 showing the preferred construction of the fire-box when hard fuel is used.

In the accompanying drawings A, A A and A, designate four reverberatory furnaces, each 0 any approved type and construction, arranged in a series or battery, in

accordance with my invention. Each of said The outlet of furnace A is connected by a flue B with the inlet or fire-chamber of furnace similarly the outlet of furnace A is connected with the inlet or fire-chamber of furnace A by a fine B similarly the outlet of furnace A is'connected with the inlet or fire-chamber of furnace A byafluc B. The flue B is made of-larger cross sectional area than the fine B and the flue B is similarly larger than fine 13*, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The outlet of the furnace A", or the last furnace of the series, is connected by a flue Ewith an uptake or chimney D.

Extending from a point adjacent the first furnace A directly to the uptake D is a conduit C which should be of sufficient cross sectional area to accommodate all the hot waste gases which may be admitted thereto from the successive furnaces. This conduit is connected with the fines B B 13 by branchesfll, G, G and dampers or valves are provided, as hereinafter explained, so'

the necessary amount of fresh hotgases can be produced therein to raise the temperature of -thc waste furnace gases entering such furnace up to a smelting temperature. Fresh air can be admitted into the furnaces A A A, through apertures fin the roof of the furnaces, above the fire-chambers,or at other convenient desired point-or points-said apertures connecting with wind boxes F to which air may be supplied by a pump or blower (not shown). This air furnishes a sufficient amount of oxygen to burn sulfur in the charge of ore. in such furnaces, and to oxidize the gases admitted thercinto. Each of the furnaces A A A, is similarly constructed and connected to the preceding furnacelike parts being similarly lettered in the drawings.

Tt is an important feature of the construction. that the tines Ti, B B be of such relative cubical capacity that the gases passing into or through said fines will not be checked.

The conduit C may be arranged at either side of, or above, the furnaces as may be most convenient.

.The fines B B", B. are each provided atopposite sides of the branches C. C C. with valves 7), b The branches C". C, C of conduit C are each provided with a valve 7)" adjacent the flucs B. B B The conduit C is provided between the connections C, C", with a valve 0; and between the connections C with a valve 0-"; and between the connections C and the fine E with a valve 0". By this arrangement of dampers or valves it will be observed that the waste gases from the furnace A can be passed directl into any one of the other furnaces, or directly to the uptakeD. The waste gases from furnace A can be sinnlarly made to taverse all the subsequent furnaces; and similarly the waste gases from furnace A can be made to traverse-furnaee A.... .-\lso that any one of the battery of furnaces may be cut out of operation and no waste gases passed therethrough; each furnace being capable of use independently of the others, or may be cut outof operation for repairs.

To illustrate the method of using the furnaces, assuming that furnace A is in op-. eration, and that furnace A for example, is to be shutdown for repairs; valve b in flue B valve 7) in fine B and v: lve in conduit C are closed, and the othenvalves left open." The gases from furnace A will then pass into the flue B, thence through branch C into the conduit C, and thence through branch C and fine B into furnace A. After furnace A is heated a fire is started in its fire-box (or burners) and fresh air is admitted at the points 7' and smelting is carried on in furnace A. In a similar manner any furnace can be put in operation .or cut out without interfering with the smelting operations in the other furnaces. The gases from furnace A could also be passed around furnace A by closing valve b in connection C opening valve 0*, closing valve 0* andvalve 7) in tlue B and opening valve 1) in fine B and valve 1) in connection C, and opening valve 0 The number of furnaces used can be varied, and increased if. desired, and a like series of furnaces could be arranged beside the first series, and connected with conduit C as indicated in dotted broken lines in Fig. 2.

To take down or repair a smelting furnace usually requires several weeks time and costs several thoiisands of dollars and ordinarily necessitates the'shutting down of all that part of. the plant; but by my invention after properly adjnstingthe various valves, any unit of the battery of furnaces can be torn down. and the other furnaces can be run as usual, up to practically normal capacity.

When starting up a new furnace, or one having been shut down, it. is necessary to bring such furnace up to smelting heat before it can be put into operation. This is now done at great expense and loss of fuel. with my invention the waste heat from another furnace unit of the battery (except the first) can be turned into the cold furnace, and it will be brought up to nearly smelting ten'iperature without any expense for fuel.

Another advantage of my invention is the results in a great saving.

reduction of flue and fuel dust which results While have described a battery of four furnaces it is obvious the number may be varied as may be found most economical in operatiomand according to the requirements and capacity of the plant desired. I By my invention the largest smelting plants containing a number of reverberatory furnaces can-be operated with economy and conservation of heat and fuel as above set forth; while each furnace may have a direct draft to one main stack, and may be put into or out of operation at will.

As shown in Fig. 6 the fire-box of the furnaces may be divided into three compartments G G G, to each of which fuel may be supplied from hoppers K K K as shown. The flues B B B may be connected with'the central compartment G of the fire-boxes of the respective furnaces A A A*. On the first furnace A all three compartments can be. fired; on the follow-' mg furnaces A A A only the compartments Gr need ordinarily be fired; and the doors 9 under said compartments-may be left open on the furnaces A A A3 when such furnaces are being used' for smelting.

\Vhat I claim is: s 1. In a smelting plant, the combination of a plurality of smelting furnaces, an uptake, a flue connecting the outlet of one furnace with the inlet of the next following furnace, a conduit' connected with the uptake and with the fines intermediate the furnaces,

and dampers or valves whereby the waste gases from one furnace may be directedinto the next furnace or through said .0011;- duit into another furnace in the. series or to the uptake. I

2. In a smelting plant, the combination of a series ofsmelting furnaces, an uptake connace with the inlet of the next following furnace, a conduit connected with the up-- take and with theflnes intermediate the furnaces, and dampers or valves whereby the waste gases from one furnace may be directed into the-next furnaceor through said naces;

conduit into another furnace in the series or to the uptake; and means for reheating and for reoxygenating the waste gases introduced into the following furnaces.

'4. In a smelting plant, the combination of series 'of smelting furnaces-,wa flue connecting the outlet of a preceding furnace with the inlet of the nextsucceeding furnace, an uptake, a conduit connected with said uptake and with each connecting flue between adjacent furnaces, and valves whereby the waste gases from a'preceding furnace may be directed to or through any of the following'furnaces in the series, the tines between the furnaces being of successively greater capacity to prevent checking of the gases passing from one furnace to the next.

5. In a smelting plant, the combination of a plurality of smelting furnaces arranged in .a series a line connecting the outlet of a preceding furnace in the series with the inlet of a succeeding furnace, an uptake, a conduit connected with said uptake and with each of the connecting fines between adjacent furnaces, valves whereby the waste gases from a preceding furnace may be directed to or through any one or more of the following furnaces in the series, and means for reheating. and for? reoxygenating the waste gasesintroduced into such furnaces, the fines between the furnaces being of successively greater capacity to prevent checkthe" next. I A

6. In a smelting plant, the combination of a series of smelting furnaces, a flue connecting the outlet ,of a.- preceding furnace .with the inlet of a. succeeding furnace, an

uptake connected'with the outlet of the last furnace ofi-jthe series, a conduit connected with saidupta-ke and by branches with each of] the connecting flues between adjacent furnaces, valves in said conduit and fines whereby the waste gases from a preceding furnace may be directed to or through any one-or more of the following furnaces in the series; means for introducing fresh fuel gases into the secondary furnaces to raise the temperature therein to vthe smelting point, and

means for introducing air into said fur 7. In a smelting plant, the combination of a series of smelting furnaces, a fine connect ing the outlet of a preceding furnace withthe inlet of the net succeeding furnace, the fines between the furnaces beingof successively greateifcapacity to prevent checking of the gases passing from one furnace to the next;

an uptake connected with the outlet of the last furnace of the series, a conduit connected with said uptake and with'cach of the ing of the'gases passing-from one furnace to connecting flues between adjacent furnaces,

valves or dampers in said conduit, and fines whereby the wastegasesfrom' a preceding furnace may be directed to or through any &

one or more of the following furnaces in he series; means for introducing fresh fuel gases into the secondary furnaces to raise the temperature therein to the smelting point, and means for supplying air to said furnaces.

8. In a smelting plant, the combination of a plurality of furnaces, a flue connecting the outlet of one furnace with the fire-chamber of the next furnace, the latter furnace inning its fire-clnnnberdivided into three compartments, and the said flue being c011 nected with the central compartment thereof, suliistantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, FRANK A. BURNS.

lVitnesses: 4

JOHN VVmss,

ALFRED S. MINES. 

